WHO Civil Society Commission Pushes for Stronger Voice in Global Health

More than 300 participants took part in four events held during the assembly, focusing on sustainable health financing and stronger civil society participation in global health governance.

The World Health Organization's Civil Society Commission strengthened its role in global health discussions during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly, bringing together hundreds of organizations to shape shared priorities for future health policies.

More than 300 participants took part in four events held during the assembly, focusing on sustainable health financing and stronger civil society participation in global health governance. The Commission represents more than 540 civil society organizations from every WHO region, providing a platform where diverse groups can work together and present coordinated recommendations to WHO and its Member States.

After a year of consultations across its network, nearly 300 representatives from almost 270 organizations agreed on four common priorities, which were presented directly to WHO leadership, government representatives and parliamentarians.

Call for Sustainable Investment in Health Systems

The main theme during the assembly was the growing challenge of financing health systems as countries face tighter budgets and reduced international development assistance. During an official side event on domestic health financing, jointly hosted by the Republic of South Africa, Save the Children, World Vision and Medicus Mundi, more than 120 participants discussed practical ways to strengthen national health funding.

Professor Mariana Mazzucato of University College London urged policymakers to rethink the role of health in economic planning, arguing that economies should be designed to deliver better health outcomes rather than treating health simply as another sector. South Africa also shared its experience of responding to reductions in USAID and PEPFAR funding by exploring new domestic financing options. Officials highlighted the importance of investing in primary health care, disease prevention and health promotion to create stronger and more sustainable health systems.

The Commission presented four shared priorities during the assembly: increasing investment in primary health care, strengthening domestic health financing, ensuring civil society has a permanent role in health governance, and improving transparency in health financing data ahead of the 2027 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.

Civil Society to Help Shape Future WHO Strategy

The Health Assembly also marked progress on WHO's upcoming Civil Society Engagement Strategy. During a dedicated side event, participants worked directly on ideas that will help shape the strategy's first draft, expected in September 2026. Unlike a traditional consultation process, participants contributed to developing the strategy itself, with their recommendations expected to influence future collaboration between WHO and civil society organizations. The assembly also encouraged stronger collaboration across generations and regions through networking events that brought together members of the Civil Society Commission and the WHO Youth Council.

WHO said the Commission is now entering a new phase focused on delivering measurable results while expanding meaningful engagement between civil society, governments and international health institutions. The organization believes this collaborative approach will help ensure that community perspectives continue to play an important role in shaping global health priorities.